Columbia County man pleads guilty to fraudulent tax preparation

ALBANY -- A 65-year-old Columbia County man pleaded guilty to fraudulent income tax preparation in U.S. District Count on Jan. 14, according to U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian.

Hartunian said James P. Aimi, a tax preparer of Ancram, pleaded guilty to 24 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent income tax returns.

Hartunian said Aimi admitted in court that, between 2005 and 2008, he aided numerous taxpayers in preparing their income tax returns for presentation to the Internal Revenue Service. Aimi admitted each of the returns was false and fraudulent, in that each return claimed the taxpayer was entitled to claim deductions that Aimi knew were false or exaggerated, according to Hartunian.

Hartunian said Aimi is scheduled to be sentenced May 7. He faces a maximum of three years in prison on each of the 24 counts.